Fai's Power
by usaghinobaka
Summary: Tomoyo scolds Kurogane for the way he treats Fai; Kurofai; T for Kurogane's language


'Fai-san?

'Yes, Tomo-chan?'

'Would you like to join me and Kurogane on this walk?'

A spark of mischief flared in the blonde's eyes as he looked at the puzzled expression on his ninja's face.

'I would love to.'

He sauntered to Kurogane's side and grabbed one of his hands.

'Oi', the ninja bristled 'let go, you idiot.'

'Now, now, Kuro-sama, if I let go, how will everybody know you are mine?'

Kurogane puffed and took his hand from the grip.

'I belong to no one, you idiot.'

'Kurogane,' Tomoyo said softly, 'that is not what he meant.'

'Who knows what he means anyway?' he raged at his princess.

'Kuro-chu, you're too loud. Plus, Tomo-chan did not mean harm so why…'

'Tomoyo-HIME!' the ninja roared, turning to his lover with fire in his eyes. 'You know she's the princess of these lands, you know she's MY princess, and you know the custom! Yet you continue to show such disrespect towards her! She is a powerful miko and you of all people,' he said, painfully pushing a finger in the magician's chest 'you of all people should FEEL that and show _some_ vestiges of RESPECT! But no, not you! I've had it with this! And you!' he said, turning towards his princess, 'you should not indulge him. With all due respect, this is half your fault. Just tell him to respect you!'

There was stunned silence on the alley as the three of them just sat there for a while. Fai's face slowly turned pink with embarrassment and he started to move from one foot to another. Kurogane just breathed deeply, trying to gather some sort of control.

Tomoyo's soft voice broke the silence.

'Kurogane, Fai-san _does_ show respect towards me.'

'How the fuck does he do that? He calls you chan and riri and chibi and all those ridiculous things! How is that respect? You're powerful, you're a princess! That's not respect!'

'But, Kurogane, do you have any idea how powerful Fai-san really is?

'Tomoyo, you don't have to…' Fai started but was waved off by the ninja.

'What do you mean?'

'Now that Fei Reed and Yuuko-san are dead, he is the most powerful magician in all the worlds. And, have you forgotten, he is also a prince. In fact, he was the heir to two worlds, not just one. It was just a twisted fate that robed him of his birthright. But make no mistake, Fai-san is much, much more powerful than me. Him calling me Tomo-chan and Tomo-riri is him showing more respect than one such as me deserves in front of such power. It is in fact an honour to just have him in my house.'

Kurogane turned towards Fai. The magician had turned an alarmingly bright shade of red and his eyes were purposefully studying the gravel on the alley.

'Is it true?' asked the ninja. His only response was a very feeble nod.

'Aw, FUCK me, I'm stupid!' he stormed to the houses, leaving the two magic wielders alone.

'Tomoyo-hime, you shouldn't have said that.'

'Come now, Fai-san, it was getting rather embarrassing, him telling y_ou_ to be more polite, when _he_ treats you the way he does.'

'Maybe, but I liked it.'

Kurogane was fuming. He didn't really know _why_ he was so upset, but he felt like kicking someone around for about five hours.

He knew, of course he knew Fai was a prince, he had seen the mage's past. He had seen the king throw the two innocent twins in that awful tower to die or worse. He had seen the other king, the kind one, take Fai away, only to break his already bruised heart. He knew all too well that that made Fai the crown prince of both kingdoms.

He also knew about Fai's magic. He could feel magic, he felt it in his princess, he felt it in Sakura and Syaoran. He could feel the incredible power under the Dimension Witch's skin and so, of course he could feel Fai's too. And there was a lot of it.

So why was he so upset about this? It wasn't because of he scolding. His princess had sent him across dimensions as a punishment and he didn't resent _that_. This was nothing by comparison.

He heard the door slide quietly behind him and he turned to see Fai. His head was bowed and he was looking at the floor. He looked like he didn't know what to do, and it broke Kurogane's heart. In a flash he understood why he was angry.

'Stop that!' he snapped at the mage. Fai flinched and looked at the ninja.

'I'm sorry' he said, his voice broken.

'What are _you_ sorry for?' Kurogane asked in a subdued voice. He walked to Fai and took one of his hands in his. 'I should be apologizing.'

Fai made a strange noise in his throat and stared a t Kurogane.

'Why?'

'I screamed at you. I insulted you. I know who you are, I know how powerful you are and still I keep insulting you. Me, the son of a dead landlord from a god-forsaken little country, lord of a dead land, talk like that to you… I don't deserve you…' he trailed off.

'Don't say that' the wizard snapped. 'I was nothing until I met you. You saved me, you made me live. You brought me light and hope. You loved me when no one dared come close to me. So don't apologize. And don't change. Without you my magic and noble birth amount to nothing.'

The fierceness in Fai's voice had Kurogane lose all thought for a few seconds.

'Fai… how can you stand all that I throw at you?'

Fai smiled a smile so simple and honest that Kurogane's breath caught in his throat.

'Hmmm,' he said and he kissed the ninja's lips lightly. 'I guess loving you helps a little.'

'Fai… I love you too. I love you a lot. I hope you never leave me, never want to get rid of me. And I apologize for everything that I do or say that makes you unhappy, I never mean them.'

Fai stared at his lover for a while and enjoyed the heated confession. It was not the first time that Kurogane had said those words, but they came so rarely. It filled his heart to the point of breaking and he couldn't help tears from coming to his eyes. He breathed in slowly and held the breath before letting it go.

'I promise. I will be here for as long as you'll have me. And I don't mind the tantrums you throw, in fact I like them quite a lot. I wouldn't be causing them so often if I didn't. And you don't make me unhappy.'

'I did, I made you sand not an hour ago in the garden. It was on your face. And don't you dare start hiding again! But I hurt you.'

'You didn't hur…'

'Don't! Don't lie to me. Don't try to cuddle me. I was stupid and vindictive and you were the one to pay the price.'

'You already said you were sorry for that' Fai said, annoyance clear in his voice.

'Yes, but you, you acted like you deserved being thrown in the gutter! If not for the princess you would have taken the hit and never fought back!'

Fai had no come back to that. It was true.

'Even now, after all this, you still think you're not worth anything. You still expect me to throw you away.'

'I… Kurogane, you have to understand, I… I know you won't hurt me. I know you won't… you won't leave me. But… it's just that… all my life… all these years… I know in my heart, but that doesn't stop me from… from being afraid, terrified of the moment when you see… when… when I'm not enough. And I know it won't happen, I trust you but… it's not easy… and sometimes I… I slip.' He looked at his lover, willing him to understand that a broken heart does not mend in a few happy years. It sometimes takes decades, sometimes it never fully heals.

'Well then,' the ninja said, taking his mage in a soft embrace, 'I guess I'll have to catch you every time. And I will. Until the day you don't slip anymore. I'll love you and protect you and teach you manners until you truly understand.'

'Do that' Fai said and leaned into a kiss.


End file.
